The present invention relates to flexible bags of the type commonly utilized for the containment and disposal of various household materials.
Flexible bags, particularly those made of comparatively inexpensive polymeric materials, have been widely employed for the containment and disposal of various household materials such as trash, lawn clippings, leaves, and the like.
As utilized herein, the term xe2x80x9cflexiblexe2x80x9d is utilized to refer to materials which are capable of being flexed or bent, especially repeatedly, such that they are pliant and yieldable in response to externally applied forces. Accordingly, xe2x80x9cflexiblexe2x80x9d is substantially opposite in meaning to the terms inflexible, rigid, or unyielding. Materials and structures which are flexible, therefore, may be altered in shape and structure to accommodate external forces and to conform to the shape of objects brought into contact with them without losing their integrity. Flexible bags of the type commonly available are typically formed from materials having consistent physical properties throughout the bag structure, such as stretch, tensile, and/or elongation properties.
A common method of utilizing such bags is as a liner for a container such as a trash can or bin. Materials are placed in the bag until the bag is filled to the capacity of the bag and/or container, or until the bag is filled to the desired level. When the bag is filled to capacity, or even beyond capacity due to placing additional materials above the uppermost edge of the bag, it is often difficult for the consumer to achieve closure of the bag opening since little if any free material remains to achieve closure of the bag opening since little if any free material remains available for securement above the level of the contents. If the filled bag is then set upon the floor by itself while additional items are inserted and/or the closure means is activated, another issue frequently encountered is a shifting of the bag contents which causes an imbalance within the bag and a corresponding tipping over of the bag with potential spillage of the contents.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a flexible bag which is easier to close when filled.
It would also be desirable to provide such a bag which has enhanced stability so as to be more self-standing when filled.
The present invention provides a flexible bag comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-enclosed container having an opening defined by a periphery. The opening defines an opening plane, and the bag has an upper region adjacent to the opening and a lower region below the upper region. The upper region has a preferential elongation axis perpendicular to the opening plane which permits the upper region to expand in response to an externally-applied force upon the bag, while the lower region has a preferential elongation axis parallel to the opening plane which permits the lower region to expand in response to forces exerted by contents within the bag to provide an increase in volume of said bag. The bag therefore exhibits increased stability in use and is easier to close.